Reviews of deals, coupons and freebies

restaurant

Pay-as-you-feel is the creative lingo that Lentils As Anything in Newtown offers. Enjoy a fresh meal made from rescued fruit and veg to support not only the farmers, but the homeless if you wish!

The fundalentils of Lentils As Anything is that it’s a not for profit organisation that relies solely on the generosity of their patrons, partners and volunteers. They believe in the power of humanity to create stupendous changes.

When this restaurant first appeared in Sydney, I was sooooo keen in going! If you know me well, I’m all for social responsibility. In fact, I went through a stage where I wanted to have my own restaurant with a similar concept so that’s why I was keen beans to try it out! So how was it?

Suh-guuuud! I love how there are seats outdoors and inside and the best thing it’s that you could be seated with anyone-yep! The whole idea of this place is that you meet with other people in your community. Funnily enough, we bumped into a friend of ours from uni and was seated with them- shows oh popular this place is!

The first things I notice when we pop in the restaurant is it’s simplicity and craftiness. The paintings, the little jars on the table… there’s an authentic and welcoming feel.

You wouldn’t think at it is a place where people from all walks of life can drop by. Everyone is served equally and treated the same no matter what.

When we got seated, we were handed some delicious spiced chai! Because it came in small glasses, it almost reminded me of India! (Except Indian chai is super sweet).

The best aspect with Lentils As Anything is that they don’t have a menu. Everything is made from season so dishes change on a daily basis. The waitress read out the four choices and they sounded delicious!

I am quite indecisive at times so I like a good and small menu. What I love about the food is that it’s all vegan- #winning – I can take any of my friends here (maybe except if they have certain allergies).

First came the Chandwas Curry Platter. It consisted of spicy eggplant, cabbage dahl, creamy carrot and rice. The portion was huge and a stunner to the eye. Mix it up and you have a perfectly spiced meal.

My Malaysian peanut and broccoli soup with salad and fry bread was equally as excellent! Although the consistency of the soup was quite thick, the flavours were a hit. Now I’m starting to think that I should’ve opened up a cafe…

For dessert, the Bolivian spiced cake with caramel sauce was very heavy. I don’t think I’ve had spiced cake in Bolivia? Not that I recall. I remember having delicious fruit smoothies and beer for breakfast for an amazing cheap price though? #throwbacks
Anyways, it was fantastic that they offered a two course meal! Wished there was another option but definitely very filling!

As you walk out of the door, there’s a wooden box where you slot in as much as you want. The recommended price is $12 which will cover the meal and other costs but please please put more in as it is a great cause 🙂

Rating Review: (1-5, with 5 being exceptional)

Event (Lentil As Anything): 4.5/5

Ambience: 4/5

Service: 4/5

Value: 4.75/5

Would I recommend going to Lentils As Anything? YES!!! It’s not a fancy dining place, nor a place to go out on a date but a warm and friendly place to meet your neighbours, have a delicious meal made from food that would’ve otherwise been wasted, and potential great conversations.

Highlight: the food! I cannot express how impressed I am with the quality and quantity. The cuisine spans internationally and it’s all vegan. The flavours certainly pack a punch and I’m keen to try it all!

Suggestion of improvement: I’m quite aware that I knew how this place works, what they do, how they operate, etc. but I’m not sure if I would’ve known if I accidentally stumbled across it. There was a sign explaining the fundalentils and I think it would br even better if there was a little book explaining where he food comes from, where the proceeds go to etc. I guess this place really attracts those who are ‘active finders’ but who knows!

You can never go wrong with having a $1 burrito in one hand and a glass of $12 classic mojito in the other- only available at The Cuban Place every Wednesday!

“Since The Cuban Place opened in Sydney, on the 26th of April 2011, it has developed a reputation as a destination restaurant and bar for live music, great food and the best mojitos in Australia. We have taken inspiration from the vibrant heydays in Cuba’s1950’s and have put a little slice of Havana in the heart of Sydney’s CBD.”

Situated next to the QVB on the same street as Abbeys Bookshop is The Cuban Place: a quirky and fun bar and restaurant with a quite a hipster vibe.

Walking inside and up the stairs, you’ll notice that the walls are plastered with messages from all over the world- I miss travelling and read random messages!

There are two sections: the restaurant and the bar. When we approached the friendly staff, they offered us to sit at a table at the restaurant and voluntarily told us that there were $1 burritos on the menu if you order at the bar! Talk about supportive and caring staff! #winning

Next to the toilets is el salle de miembros = hall for members..and one of the staff members politely told us that it has a rude meaning too..whoops!

The bar section is gorgeous! It’s like a whole array of lights came together and had a disco party. The writing on the glass and walls really set a scene.

The arrangement of photos in clusters was pretty cool. I’m not sure what the typical ‘Cuban’ vibe is but to me, this made it quite vintage and trendy. I think it’s quite similar at Coco Cubano?

Sitting down, we ordered an original mojito $12 and a mai tai $18. The classic mojito was yes, a classic although I would’ve liked a bit more mint muddled in the cocktail. The mai tai was soooooo tasty with its hint of orange liqueur. The service was fast!

The burritos came a bit later. Ummm… so this counts as two burritos! I must say I was expecting a whole burrito but you know what? It’s only $1 -so whatevs. There was only one choice so if you’re vegetarian and have any dietary requirements, it’s a bit unfortunately in this case.

Nevertheless, the burrito was very carb-y with a massive deal of rice, beans, cheese and chicken. It wasn’t ah-amazing but it was still satisfying for its price. My favourite was the crispy tortilla that wrapped it all together. It was toasted and crunchy!

To be honest, I would’ve expected more people to be here on a Wednesday night. There were the regular office workers but compared to The Soda Factory, which offers $1 hotdogs on Tuesdays, this place was not busy at all! We arrived there at 6:30 and there were at least half a dozen tables available. There was music and I loved how we could enjoy the atmosphere.

So if you’re looking for a nice cocktail bar with cheap as chips food, head to a The Cuban Place- you won’t be disappointed!

Rating Review: (1-5, with 5 being exceptional)

Event (Wednesdays at The Cuban Place): 4.5/5

Ambience: 4.5/5

Service: 4.75/5

Value: 4/5

Would I recommend going to The Cuban Place? If you’re up for a cocktail for a mid week drink, this is the place to go. My original mojito was $12 but you could add a Cuban touch to it for $15 or more.

Highlight: Totally didn’t expect the waiters come I and accommodate us. I was thinking that perhaps they’ll just serve us the burritos but they exceeded our expectations. Water In our glasses were filled, they gave us menus, served us, answered our questions…restaurant service quality. The other favourite was the display of the whole bar. The lights worked really well and I loved the deco around us!

Suggestion of improvement: Thumbs up for the $1 burrito that was served. Crispy outside and very filling insides. Having a bit more vege could’ve been better instead of the jam-packed rice and beans. It would be even better if there were a couple of options, but I’m still not complaining!

Occurs: every Wednesday from 5pm. This deal is not displayed on their website but on Facebook only.

Like this:

$25 for a sharing platter for two at newly opened Le Pain Quotidien through Groupon is a cheese and bread filled deal.

“Alain Coumont learned about bread as a small child, standing on a chair every Sunday watching his grandmother bake bread. As a young chef in Brussels, Alain could not find the right bread for his restaurant.
Passionate about quality, he returned to his roots and opened a small bakery where he could knead flour, salt and water into the rustic loaves of his childhood.
He called his bakery “Le Pain Quotidien“.

With all groupons, deals, coupons, etc I have a habit of calling and booking before I buy the deal. I’ve had a situation where I have organised a time with a friend, bought the voucher, and it turns out the time we wanted to go was not available because the day had exceeded the ‘voucher limit’.

Anyways, I called and booked, bought the voucher and when my friend showed up it was not in the system. Thankfully I called from my phone so I had a record of who I talked with but keep that in mind!

We got a table anyway and our red wines came straight away.

This restaurant is pretty interesting. It has several small rooms whereas the one at Sydney Westfield is a pretty wide space. I overheard that you had to book for the rooms but it would be be quite cute and vintage to dine in the old cells of Sydney Town.

I’m not sure if this black dog could be the iconic thing here but here it is!

The space we sat in was pretty nice and cosy. The brick walls was a charm.

Then our gourmet tasting platter came out. Cold meats included salami, prosciutto, pate, salmon and it was weaves through the shredded cheddar, brie and blue vein cheese. It was delicious, nothing spectacular, not bad, could be fresher. I guess I used to work in a deli so it was quite average.

The bruschetta was on a crispy baguette and the lamb slider was more like a mini lamb sandwich with mustard. It was all topped with a few leaves and a couple of very sun dried tomatoes although I’m sure that the voucher came with pumpkin and beetroot salad? I was missing my greens!

The bread basket was huge! I don’t know how people can eat so much bread in a sitting so this was generous! The bread was fresh but not morning-fresh but the walnut bread was my favourite. Just an FYI that Le Lain Quotidien means the bread expert! I was still satisfied because who expects anyone to make fresh bread at night?

The outside street view is the MCA so it’s close to Circular Quay. #lovesydney

Rating Review: =D =) =| =(

Product (Gourmet Tasting Platter for Two at Le Pain Quotidien): =)

Ambience: =)

Service: =D

Value: =)

Would I recommend buying an antipasto platter to a friend? If you love your cheese, bread and wine, this is a good one for it! A block of cheese at Aldi is $5.99 so this deal is pretty sweet!

Highlight: looking through the little rooms at the restaurant! It got us excited and I’m glad there wasn’t anyone inside. The ambience and feel of the place is great and chatting over food is the best.

Suggestion of improvement: it would be fabulous if they had a better booking system so there isn’t a mix it. It was quite embarrassing asking for our table again! Also, we were missing our pumpkin and beetroot salad and I didn’t notice until we saw the menu. I don’t think I would normally pay full price of $35 for the two but it was pretty good for what we paid and that included the much needed wine!

Grab a sweet or savoury crepe at The Crepe and Pancake Place at Broadway Shopping Centre for $8 and enjoy it for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

The Crepe and Pancake Place “offers Savoury & Sweet Crepes, Pancakes, Waffles, Omelette along with Barista Coffee. We also serve milkshakes and fresh fruit smoothies”.

What a brilliant name. It brings me back to the crepe days we had at FRESS (French Speaking Society). Such fun times making stacks of crepe cakes ahaha. Anyways, this place is at Broadway Shopping Centre at the Level 2 food court, opposite Soul Origin.

Well it wasn’t super fancy place but there are tons of specials on display. I can’t help but wonder why someone would not come here to buy $4 pancakes instead of Maccas? What a bargain!

You could see yeh ladies make the crepes on hot plates and the goodness was made nice and hot!

There was an extensive menu but because we were coming for brekkie I went with the Florentine with spinach, mushrooms, ricotta, feta and white sauce.

Service was pretty quick so in no time I got my medium skimmed cappuccino for my morning wake up drink. I was surprised it tasted really good because I find that places which specialise in non-cafe -style food tend to be quite crap. This was good!

The crepe came very quickly as well with plastic knife, fork and tissue. This was gigantic!! No joke. I could’ve shared this between two people but I kinda ate most of it..whoops!

No, I mean check this out. I love cheese (didn’t use to until a couple of years ago) but this hot filled crepe was sooooooooooo good. I’m glad I had a coffee to go with this but alternatively you could get a smoothie or milkshake. I’m not a fan of vanilla ice cream so I was quite disappointed that they don’t use a yoghurt base for their smoothies. At least they use real fruit!

Nomnomnom. My friend and I sat down for our famous long catch up sessions at Victoria Park. Let me encourage everyone to sit in the sun and enjoy nature. It’s beautiful.

Rating Review: =D =) =| =(

Product ($8 crepe and coffee at The Crepe and Pancake Place): =D

Ambience: =)

Service: =D

Value: =D

Would I recommend purchasing a $8 crepe and drink voucher from the Crepe and Pancake Place? If you don’t know how to make a crepe or you feel like something deliciously savory or sweet this is the place to be! It’s pretty awesome considering there’s heaps of eateries around the place. They’re big portions so go for it!

Highlight: the crepe! They were generous with the fillings and super cooper yummy. They are normally $7.50 for a Florentine crepe and I would buy one even if I was on a deal!

Suggestion of improvement: I would totally love a juice option on the menu or even a $10 meal deal could be a crowd pleaser.

“Lok Lok Dumpling Bar is a trendy eatery aimed at transporting customers to the land of tasty, healthy, hand crafted dumplings made with only the best ingredients. Our delightful menus offer a variety of classic choices with seasonal flavour, including a range of Asian dishes not limited to dumplings.”

Over the next 6 months we all know that Macquarie Centre will be full of new openings and with exciting stores, there will be exciting specials. On Sunday I stumbled upon this joint and their free dumplings made my day.

There was a massive banner at the front so you could not miss it. I think a lot of people just walk past fantastic things like this and miss you! Be aware of your surroundings!

Two girls in bright blue tops were giving away coupons. Present it at the counter and voila!

Right behind me there was a stations it’s chilli oil, vinegar and soya sauce and of course the chopsticks, forks and chopsticks! I love the wooden setting.

Surprisingly they’ve managed to put quite a bit of seating in the area. At the front there was a little bar..

On the side you’ll get a tad of greenery..

And closer to Event Cinemas, there are some wooden looking tables and chairs.

I grabbed a seat and realised that the menu at the top didn’t have any names or descriptions. The prices and food looked like it was straight from a Chinese restaurant but I’m quite worried about those with food allergies..

The dumplings were yum! I first bit into the vegetable one and that had a nice filling. It wasn’t too salty which I think most dumplings bar try to do with the veggies, assuming that it lacks flavour.

The chicken one was neater and combined with the sweet vinegar sauce, it was very delightful! I think it’s usually $5.80 for 5.

Thank you Lok Lok Dumpling for the little samples. Keen to try the rest!! Are there any lunch or dinner specials?

Rating Review: =D =) =| =(

Product (dumplings at Lok Lok Dumpling Macquarie Centre): =)

Ambience: =)

Service: =)

Value: =)

Would I recommend going to Lok Lok Dumpling Bar to friend? If you want a light meal, then by all means go for it but it isn’t that cheap. Most of their dishes are over $10 but if you’re sharing plates with a group of friends then it could be an option.

Highlight: the vinegar sauce on the dumplings. It dumplings itself were pretty average but the sweetness of the vinegar made it jump! I also quite like e setting. In Hornsby, the food court option is nothing exciting but the one at Macquarie Centre has seating, more spacious and adds character.

Suggestion of improvement: I only just realised that students at Macquarie university get 10% off if you spend over $10 at the newly renovated Woolworths. Some sort of deal will make it stand out and who doesn’t love dumplings?

Pay half price for ice cream, waffles, pancakes, shakes, sundaes, desserts at Movenpick Bondi thanks to Groupon- winter days can get much sweeter, even in the cold!

“Since creating its ice-cream concoctions in the kitchens of Swiss restaurants more than 60 years ago, Mövenpick Ice Cream has crossed oceans and expanded across the globe to deliver frozen treats to those with a sweet tooth. The ice-cream is still made in Switzerland using local cream, and contains no artificial flavourings or colours. ”

This whole purchase was totally accidental. I remember flicking rough my emails in the morning and thinking that I would never go to Bondi any time soon but expect the unexpected! Yes. We chose Movenpick over Ben and Jerry’s, New Zealand Natural and others at Bondi. #datview

What attracted me to the shop itself was the beautiful display of ice cream at the shop front. The flavours are exactly the same at the back so the front is neatly displayed with barely any scoop holes.

The simplicity of red-ish pink and white made the store look nice and clean.

The posters on the wall make ice cream seem so refreshing!

It took so long browsing through the menu. The vouchers available were $5 for $10 worth, or $10 for $20 worth.

This is what we bought:
Caramel and hazelnut waffles: $12.95. The waffles were very soft and didn’t have that crunch you would expect to have at Max Brenner’s. The ice cream combination was delightful and the waffles came out larger than what was expected from the photos of the menu.

Deluxe Tasting Menu was a selection of 6 chosen flavours: $12.95. If you’re a sorbet person, mango was divine with little pieces inside and grape and orange gave a lovely citrus aftertaste. Chocolate and coconut gave a little separation from the normally hectic chocolate. Caramelita and Rum n Raisin were the standards. Pannacotta was a little creamy and my favourite was the maple and walnut flavour. All delicious and you can never go wrong! Don’t forget to taste test before you pick your choices!

I had $4 leftover so I grabbed a much needed large cappuccino with a swirl of chocolate. So much sweetness and not bad coffee either! I was also looking at he Iced Shakes and there were some epic drinks with ice cream in them.

The lady who served us was very patient and oh so friendly. She gave us knives, forks , spoons and napkins and even some water at the end just in case!

If I lived in Bondi I would love an (everyday) treat here…as long as I work it off later!!! #whatexcercise #imissblogilates

Review Rating: =D =) =| =(

Product (Movenpick ice cream): =D

Ambience: =D

Service: =D

Value: =D

Would I recommend Movenpick to a friend? It was my grandma’s last weekend in Sydney and my dad was willing to spend anything for the best ice cream for someone who must eat ice cream before going to bed. If you love ice cream and you’re in Bondi, definitely come here! Super cheap and half the price you would normally pay in Ben and Jerry’s, for example.

Highlight: Sampling all the ice creams! We were there for one reason: ice cream. I love trying a bit of everything. The waffle was pretty good too and but softer than most other dessert bars. Everything was beautifully presented and staff were amazing.

Suggestion of Improvement: Can you please stop tempting me to go all the way to Bondi again? The voucher says it’s only valid in three locations – two in Melbourne and one in Sydney. Just be careful.

Chocolate High Tea with Toblerone cocktails for $29 at the Swissotel was money well spent for a fancy day out.

“Crossroads Bar is located within the 5-star Swissotel Sydney. A place where traditional ideas and impeccable service unite with modern designs. Vibrant blues, purples and oranges pop against the dark wooden floor boards and elegant beige couches. Intimate pods provide exclusive entertaining spaces and an atmosphere of sophistication is evoked with floor to ceiling windows overlooking Market Street allowing natural light to flood the area.”

Let the doorman tip his hat and salut you at the entrance before hopping on the escalators to level 7.

It felt extremely clean and spacious and the restaurant and bar is cleverly closed in with the grey and red pods of seating – making it slightly romantic and secluded.

The big red lanterns hanging from the ceiling definitely stood out.

I showed my voucher and even requested for some candles for a friend’s birthday! The area was just simple and classy and I felt like a real lady sipping on my water in my (normal) cup.

Our Toblerone cocktails came first and they were delicious. They tasted like chocolate milkshake with a tad of alcohol. Yuuuuum. Highly irresistible and I could’ve gulped it all in one go but no, I savoured it one sip at a time!

Then the waitresses came with the high tea sets in a very professional manner. Ie professional attire and etiquette. However, I requested for a vegetarian option both in the email and I even double checked at the counter when I gave my voucher to them and still, there was no offer of replacement when we asked if there was supposed to be no meat not the tiers. All that effort for nothing! Urgh!

Anyways, on the bottom there was a nice salmon bagel, cucumber sandwich, egg wrap, and the best was the mayo chicken on multi-grain baguette. Creamy and delicious! The savory was amazing.

Scones should be the highlight of every high tea. There was a plain and chocolate one. Although I took the plain one, I thought it was very tasty, a bit fluffy and the jam was a very nice compliment. I loved how the top rises- let’s just say I love muffin tops!

On the top, it was absolutely jam packed with chocolate. The chocolate cake was sooooooo chocolatey. It was like eating a block of soft chocolate. I’m not a fan of cream but the profiteroles were a nice touch with crushed pistachios on top. Again, the chocolate tart was dense and extra sweet with the cream and white chocolate flake.

The best was the berry compote with the layer of chocolate mousse! A mixture of slightly sweet and sweet n soft textures!

Girls love to talk and indeed we did until the coffee came. We were choc-ed it and could not order a hot chocolate haha! I had a skimmed cappuccino and by the way, you get a bigger glass if you get the latte. I don’t know why.

One of us ordered the T2 tea and got a large fancy teapot.

Loved the high tea here and it was definitely worth it’s money!! Chocolate high tea and cocktail for the chocoholics out there is like living a dream at Swissotel!

Review Rating: =D =) =| =(

Product (Chocolate High Tea and cocktails at Swissotel): =D

Ambience: =D

Service: =D

Value: =D

Would I recommend going to Chocolate High Tea with Cocktails at Swissotel to a friend? Straight out- Yes. How can you refuse high tea AND cocktails for only $29? Normally a cocktail at a cocktail bar is around $20 and a high tea could be up to $50pp. This is crazy amazing so if you like chocolate this is definitely where you should be heading!

Highlight: Oh the toberlone cocktail was such a sweet treaat!! I wish we could’ve ordered more!! Who says you can’t drink in the middle of the day? The place was really cute.. shame there weren’t any pods available to sit in so we had a spacious table and couch.

Suggestion of improvement: I was quite disappointed with the vegetarian option not coming out. I always take care when people have dietary requirements and in this case it was my vego friend’s birthday. Communication needs some improving!

Alright. I confess I received a $30 voucher to spend on Menulog to trial the online system of payment beforehand and delivery at any restaurant. Seven Kings Pizzeria was the best value for money for $29, which includes delivery. Yes, you’ll have a chance to win one of 2 $10 Menulog vouchers at the end of the post!

“Menulog is No.1 For Online Takeaway in Australia with features such as:

ability to ORDER FOOD ONLINE at 3500+ restaurants around Australia

a quick and easy SEARCH to help YOU find your favourite restaurant

the widest range of SPECIAL OFFERS and DISCOUNTS

ability to view most popular and top rated venues in our USER RATINGS section as voted by your peers”

With all this technology making us a lazier nation, I don’t blame the 35,000 on board on Menulog. It’s smart, convenient and online. This post will outline Menulog’s website process.

2. Because this blog is all about specials, discounts and coupons… my first point of contact was the ‘Meal Deal’ tab on the left hand side. It’s not automatically ticked so get on it!

3. I landed on a few restaurants and decided to check them out by looking at the reviews.

4. I went through the list of delicious pizzas! I chose Deal C: 2 Large Traditional Pizzas, which made my pizza choice easier because they charged more for the gourmet toppings. I used to work in a pizzeria and honestly.. it could take up to an hour to choose your right topping. #firstworldproblems. You also had to select the suburb you were wanting to order to and either it was ‘delivery’ or ‘pick up’ as well. So I selected the pizzas I wanted..

5. Then proceeded to check out. I had to put my address, email, mobile phone number. I quite liked the drop-down menu for the street names just in case it would be spelt incorrectly!

6. The funny thing is that the next screen was keying in your card details. Why is it funny? Usually the number of screens is at a minimum so it takes less time for someone to change their mind! haha.. (sorry, I’m kinda into this tech thing so I’m slightly critical)

7. Key in your details and voila!

8. Screenshot to say that its been processed. Easy. Very easy compared to the PayPal app.. urgh.

9. The restaurant, Seven Kings Pizzeria – Dundas Valley, sent me a text at 4:30 to notify that they received my order. I called them back because I wanted to double check and see if they could delivery somewhere else.. the guy was really nice!

10. 6:15 came and the delivery was on time. Ok, it was probably 5 minutes late but they didn’t mean a great deal to me because we ended up changing the address.

11. I got the supreme with ham, cabanossi, mushroom, capsicum, onion & pineapple. Pizza Party’s always need a supreme in the mix! Delicious and still hot!!

12. Capricciosa was the second of my choices with ham, mushroom, capsicum and olives. I mean, it was pretty standard gourmet pizza with a nice thin base. I worked at a pizzeria for 2.5 years? but we never did delivery so I’m giving this a clear pass!

13. Bellies full! Yum! Thanks Seven Kings Pizzeria for delivering to a suburb not specified! I couldn’t believe that it was free for orders over $20 only!!

Review Rating: =D =) =| =(

Product (Menulog Website): =)

Ambience: =)

Service: =)

Value: =)

Would I recommend ordering on Menulog online to a friend? If you’re having some mates over or if you’re having a bad day, this is not a bad option. To be honest, I was trolling through the website for a good half an hour before deciding which restaurant I wanted to order from simply because I wanted the best meal deal in my area.

Highlight:I love how you can type in your suburb in the first screen. It’s not a ‘Let’s Log-in’ -and-grab-all-your-details-for-our-database. Yes it is, but in a nicer way. I loved the ‘Meal Deal’ tab on the side, and that you could choose your cuisine. It’s kinda like Seek, but with food. The navigation is clear and simple and not overcrowded. It’s also fantastic how they have incorporated the reviews. Urbanspoon is more about the food, but the reviews I’m reading are more about the delivery time, freshness of food, the food and the people. It brings customer service to a whole new tech level!

Suggestion of Improvement: Ok, I have a second confession – I am a PayPal Pioneer, which means that I’m also trialling the PayPal app. I once ordered from that app and I got an automated SMS saying that the ice cream I ordered would take 45 minutes. WOW. This system is much better in that the restaurant themselves send out the texts (I’m not too sure if it was only Seven Kings Pizzeria that does this, but I’m assuming based on my one experience) then it is much more reliable. I think it would’ve been better if the restaurant gives a call to the customer’s number directly immediately after they’ve received the order. It’s just better and personal confirmation. Also, I couldn’t order at a few restaurants because their opening hours were from 5pm. I’m super organised and I always order well ahead of time just in case something happens. I know there’s a tab on the site but it would’ve been better if we could pre-order from all restaurants or have a separate tab? I rang a couple of restaurants and they were saying that they were having technical problems with Menulog so it would be best if we could call them instead..

The noodle bar is next to MadMex at Harbourside. If you’re enjoying Vivid by the water, walk up the stairs from Pancakes on the Rocks and then take a left.

I know many of you are pretty skeptical when it comes to super cheap deals like this. Alice’s Tea Cafe in Chatswood was the worse but surprisingly, this little joint does really good noodles!

There was only one table when I got there with a friend and Vivid Sydney Aqualights is on every hour so we decided to takeaway. Shame that the view isn’t as great as you’ll be facing Pyrmont Bridge. At least there’s an entertaining flower pot with red chilli!

The kitchen is open so it was great to see that everything looked clean. None of that messy Asian kitchen nonsense at this place.

It was hard for me to choose the noodles because e variety was so wide. Egg noodles, hokkien noodles, vermicelli…then choose your sauce and topping! It reminds me of Stir Crazy in Castle Hill, except is was a lot cheaper and in the city.

The interior was black and simple with touches of orange.

The tangled red wired lights added a bit of funkiness to the house.

We didn’t wait long at all for our filled takeaway boxes!! I love Aqualights. They banned fireworks in Peru and use Acqualights instead. That was the first time I saw large light projections reflected on water en masse.

We opened up our takeaway and it smelt so dam good! I chose the glass noodle with peanut sauce and chicken. Rather than having the peanut sauce stir fried together, it was more on the top. I love peanut sauce so I could eat it any day. Delicious!

My friend got the spinach noodles with oyster sauce and chicken and that was a stunner too. Like most coloured noodles, it tasted slightly healthier. I remember making spinach pasta from scratch and I put in 1 small packet of spinach which was 300g for 1 cup of flour and 1 egg of pasta.

All done and not as full as we thought! I guess we were both starving after work! Great little place and shame about the view but yummy noodles!

Would I recommend Stix Noodle Bar to a friend? If you’re looking for a cheap meal for $5 then this is the spot! It doesn’t get any cheaper! It is located next to popular stores such as MadMex and Grill’d so I guess it’s not too great for them. The portions are good so if you feel like Asian at Darling Harbour give this place a go!

Would I donate the money saved towards a charity? Look, I would even pay $10 normally for a cheap dinner meal at Darling Harbour. It’s a bit expensive there if you go outside of happy hour. $5 towards a charity.

Highlight: the noodles! Couldn’t stop eating! I don’t think you can go wrong with cooking Asian noodles. I mean, pasta can be either too soft or too hard but noodles I feel are easier. Maybe because I’m Asian. Anyhow…yes. Peanut sauce a bit sweet and I love that!

Suggestion of improvement: the restaurant itself is quite simple. I know it’s the general vibe of it but there wasn’t anything that told me to ‘come in NOW’ unlike the other restaurants around it.

Gourmet burger and old-fashioned burger for $8 at The Burger Mill brings the classic vintage days back to Parramatta.

“The Burger Mill is located in the heart of Parramatta’s CBD and adjacent to the station. Drawing inspiration from the American diners of the 1950’s, this restaurant has a funky and retro vibe with checkered floors and the classic combination of burgers and milkshakes.”

(Sourced: News Limited)

If you walk from the train station towards the lower food court of Westfield, then up the escalators and then outside, head towards Church Street and you’ll find The Burger Mill on the corner. If you’ve passed the Town Hall, then you’ve missed it. It’s quite noticeable and next to a bakery.

Outside there are some simple yellow chairs and tables to just set the mood for when you go inside.

I actually love the wooden scene and the random strings of vines hanging from the ceilings. It’s quite unique.

The blackboard has written up the menu of delicious burgers but there’s also a paper version if you’re short-sighted.

But your eyes will be attracted to this lovely piece of art work on the wall: a tree with burgers hanging off!! Don’t we wish this all existed? #burgertree

First up was the Chicken Schnitzel Burger with avocado, cheese, cucumber, baby spinach and house made aioli with a generous serving of chips.

The brioche bun was tall, fluffy, slightly toasted and actually pretty sweet. It’s normally hardly noticeable but this looked quite yellow! The condiments were an excellent mix but the chicken schnitzel was slightly dry. Ps: look how tall this burger looks! Giant!

Next up was Aussie Burger with cheese, caramelised onion, pineapple, beetroot, tomato, lettuce and home made mayo.

I loved the freshness of the salad and the beef patty was pretty standard. I wouldn’t say that it was dam fantastic but I guess average? What did a burger taste like in the 1950s?

The hot chips were the good ol zigzag ones. Ah McCain you’ve done it again! Ah yes! Crinkle cut is the word and they were lightly salted and crunchy! #hotchipsobssessed

Milkshakes are such a treat! I must admit, I don’t really drink them these days but once in a while it won’t be too bad for your health.. right? I’m not really dairy person so I didn’t finish mine but it was a good punch of sweetness in there.

Although there are already burger joints such as Grilld (two in Parramatta might I add!) and Coco Cubano, this one is definitely a treat! And I also heard that the owner, Leanne Beck owns Infinity Bakery in Woolloomooloo (close to Cancer Council where I intern!) and Sweet Street Bakery next doors! #winner

Review Rating: =D =) =| =(

Product ($8 Burger and Milkshake at The Burger Mill Parramatta): =D

Ambience: =)

Service: =)

Value: =)

Would I recommend $8 Burger and Milkshake to a friend? Yes! Burgers and chips are normally $10 and a milkshake for $7. The same restaurants have existed in Parramatta for a very long time so its nice to have something new.

Would I donate the money saved to a charity? I’m not too sure if I would normally pay $7 for a milkshake unless its from The Vogue Café. $12 would’ve been a solid deal so $4 towards a charity.

Highlight: The kinda-sweet brioche! I miss France and I miss brioche! So good! and the crinkle cut chips bring me back to childhood days.

Suggestion of improvement: Maybe is the patties were juicier but next time I’m gunning for the Moroccan Lamb Burger!